


ttbe ®rber of the Descenbants 



of the 



Signers of tbe 

Secret lC>act 



M 



or 



prior 2)eclarat{on of Unbcpenbence 



Zbc ®rber of the 2)e8cenbants 

of tbe 

Signers of tbe Secret pact 

or 

Iprior 2>eclaration of Unbepenbence 



Ipreamble 

Whereas, The history of a country should by diligent study 
and patriotism be promoted, and the truth be proclaimed and re- 
vealed to our citizens throughout our land, that they may be in- 
formed as to actual facts; and whereas there seems to be but 
little information in regard to a document signed by various 
patriots of the Revolutionary period and yet prior to the Declara- 
tion of Independence, wherein certain well known persons who 
were delegates from the several Colonies pledged themselves not 
to divulge anything debated in the Congress of November 9, 1775; 
and whereas many who signed this document did afterward sign 
the Declaration of Independence ; and whereas some who signed 
the Declaration of 1776 of the Independence of the American 
Colonies did afterward sign the Secret Pact of November 9th, 1775, 
thus showing the Pact to be a Secret Declaration of Indpendence, 
or a forerunner of the same and a most important document 
which reads and is signed as follows : 



In Congress Nov 9, 1775 

Resolved That every member of this Congress considers himself 
under the ties of virtue, honor &. love of his Country not to divulge 
directly or indirectly any nr.atter or thing agitated or debated 
in Congress before the same shall have been determined, with- 
out leave of the Congress ; nor any matter or thing determined 
in Congress which a majority of the Congress shall order to be 
kept secret, and that if any member shall violate this agree- 
ment he shall be expelled this Congress &. deemed an enemy 
to the liberties of America & liable to be treated as such & that 
every member signify his consent to this agreement by signing 
the same. 

Samuel Chaee 

Richard Henry Lee 

Th: Jefferson 

Benj Harrison 

Tho^ Nelson Jr 

G Wythe 



Ja" Duane 
Lewis Morris 
Fran*" Lewis 
W"' Floyd 

Rob' R Livingston jun 
Henry Wisner 
Step" Crane 
Wil: Livingston 
Tho^ Willing 
And"' Allen 
C Humphreys 
James Wilson 
Rob' Morris 
B. Franklin 
W'" Dickinson 
E Biddle 
John Hancock 
Josiah Bartlett 
John Langdon 
Thomas Cushing 
Sam'' Adams 
John Adams 
Rob' Treat Paine 
Step. Hopkins 
Sam. Ward 
Elipht Dyer 
Roger Sherman 
Silas Deane 
Th Johnson Jun"^ 
W™ Pace 



Jona D Sergeant 
Geo. Clinton 
W"' Whipple 
Mat Tilghman 
Carter Braxton 



Francis Lightfoot Lee Tho- Heywaid Jun' 



John Penn 
Will Hooper 
Joseph Hewes Nov lo" 
Th Lynch 
Christ. Gadsden 
Edward Rutledge 
Arch*^ Bulloch 
John Houstoun 
Thomas Lynch Jun' 
Arthur Middleton 
Fras** Hopkinson 

28 June 
Tho McKean 
Geo: Read 
Caesar Rodney 
John Jay 
Rich'' Smith 

Philad" 18 Jan^ 1776 

Sam*" Huntington 
Rob' Alexander 
Oliver Wolcott 
Rogers 

Elbridge Gerry 
T. Stone 



Lyman Hall May 20 
Button Gwinnett " lo 
WiUiam EUery 
Ja"" Witherspoon 
Abra: Clark 
Geo Walton 
John Hart 

B Rush 22 July 1776 

W'" Williams 

30 July 1776 
Geo. Clymer 
Chas Carroll 
Jonath" Elmer 
Mann Page Jun'' 
Nathan Brownson 

Feb 3' 1777 
Matthew Thornton 
James Lovell 
Thomas Burke 
W: Smith 

W'" Duer June 5"' 1777 
Nich' Van Dyke 
H- Marchant 
Geo: Frost 



Now as has been shown this " Secret Pact" is of vital histori- 
cal importance and the signers of said document should be hon- 
ored as among the founders of the new Republic, therefore we, the 
descendants, in order to do justice to history, to our ancestors and 
ourselves, do now institute and form an Order to be known as " The 
Order of the Descendants of the Signers of the Secret Pact or 
Prior Declaration of Independence," and hereby append our names 
thereto. 

J. G. B. Bulloch. M. D. Miss Ellen Margaretta Parrel 

Thos. Featherstonhaugh Miss Wilmuth Gary 

W. E. Dunwody W. Gaston Bulloch 

Gordon Monges Ash Miss Emma H. Bulloch 

Mrs. John Truitt Parrel Mrs. Paul Anderson 

(Delphine Harland Ash) 




Conetttution 



ARTICLE I. 
Nam a. 
This Order shall be known in law as the Order of the Descend- 
ants of the Signers of the Secret Pact or Prior Declaration of 
Independence. 

ARTICLE II. 

Objects. 
To unite the descendants of the signers of "The Secret Pact ' 
in the bonds of friendship and to do justice to the signers of that 
historical document and to their descendants. 
ARTICLE III. 
Qualifications. 
All descendants in male or female line (as also all of collateral 
descent ) of those who signed the document. "The Secret Pact of 
November 9, 1775," as also the clerk" of the Secretary who agreed 
to secrecy in the Congress. 

*N0TE.— In the minutes of the Continental Congress under the date of May 
15, 1775, is the following entry: "Agreed that the Secy, be allowed to employ 
Timothy Matlack as a Clerk, he having first taken an oath or affirmation to 
keep secret the transactions (or secrets) of the Congress that may be entrusted 
to him or may come to his knowledge," 






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ARTICLE IV. 
Dues. 
There shall be a life membership fee of $10. No annual dues. 

ARTICLE V. 
Executive Council. 

There shall be an Executive Council, composed of the officers 
of the Order, which shall be the governing body, who shall make 
all laws, revise, change and add to the Constitution, create all new 
official positions and appoint to Council all those qualified to fill 
such positions (see President General ;, as also those elected by 
Order or appointed by head of Order. 

When a meeting is called three members shall constitute a 
quorum for the transaction of business, and who may create of- 
ficial positions, change, alter, revise and add to the Constitution, 
the same as if a full Board were present. 

ARTICLE VI. 
Officers. 
There shall be the following officers of the Order : One Presi- 
dent General, three Vice-Presidents General, one Secretary GeneraJ, 
one Registrar General, one Treasurer General, one Chaplain Gen- 
eral, one Herald Marshal General, one Historian General and twelve 
Councillors. 

ARTICLE VII. 
The President General, or in his absence one of the Vice-Presi- 
dents General, shall be empowered to admit to fellowship and 
membership all those who are qualified to become members, and 
he shall during the interim of the meetings of the Council create 
any new official positions and appoint to the Council the person 
or persons so created and appointed. He shall also admit to hon- 
orary membership those so considered suitable for the honor. 

ARTICLE VIII. 
The members of the Order shall be designated or styled as 
Fellows. 



6 



ARTICLE IX. 
The seal or arms of the Order shall be a scroll. 



ARTICLE X. 
Insignia. 

The insignia of the Order shall be : 
A Maltese Cross, extremities convex, 
white, each arm charged with two 
sabres in saltire, or, beneath a mullet 
azure ; surmounted by a shield, quar- 
terly: 1st gules, two cannon in saltire 
ppr ; 2d gules, a liberty bell ppr ; 3d, 
azure, two Indian arrows in saltire ppr ; 
4th, white, a full rigged ship, or ; over 
all a fess, white, charged with three 
bugles, or. The whole suspended by 
a purple ribbon attached to a pin with 
an eagle displayed, surrounded by a 
wreath, or. 

The meaning of the emblems of 
insignia is as follows: The eagle for 
courage and freedom of America; 
the Maltese cross, emblem of the Cru- 
saders or those who came to America to be free, and the sword 
indicative of such determination, with the blue star indicating 
purity and a united country as a whole. The shield shows the 
warrior; the crossed cannon showing that we are still coura- 
geous ; the liberty bell, freedom ; the arrows indicating the country 
of the Indians of America ; and the ship, colonization of America. 




ARTICLE XL 
Rosette. 
The rosette of the Order shall be black, with silver star in center. 



ARTICLE XII. 

The President General, when it is considered advisable, may 
remit the fees of certain persons when admitted to the Order. 

ARTICLE XIII. 
Honorary Members. 
There may be appointed from time to time certain persons as 
honorary members of the Order. 

ARITCLE XIV. 

Meeting Place. 
The time and place of meeting of the Order shall be determined 
as the case warrants by the President General or the Executive 
Council. 

ARTICLE XV. 
Knights of the Golden Cross. 

There shall be within the Order a subsidiary division or inner 
circle of the Order, known as the " Knights of the Golden Cross," 
composed only of the officers of the Order and such others as have 
been extremely prominent in church or state or in especial promi- 
nence in other walks of life in various capacities, provided they 
descend from one of the "Signers of Secret Pact" or those con- 
nected with the Congress of 1775. Each member may wear a 
small golden cross. 

The above resolutions and articles were adopted by the mem- 
bers present as the constitution of the Order. 

Incorporated May 7, 1918. 

The following are the officers of the Order : 

President General, Dr. J. G. B. Bulloch, great-great-grandson of 
Hon. Archibald Bulloch. 

First Vice-President General, Dr. Thomas Featherstonhaugh, de- 
scendant of Hon. James Duane. 

Second Vice-President General, William Elliott Dunwody, Sr.. 
great-great-great-grandson of Hon. Archibald Bulloch. 



8 

Secretary General, Robert J. Foster McCowan. 

Treasurer General, Mrs. Paul Anderson (Victoria Neosho Gary), 

descended from a brother of Hon. Caesar Rodney. 
Registrar General, Gordon Monges Ash, descendant of Hon. 

Timothy Matlack. 
Historian General, Miss Emma Hamilton Bulloch, great-great- 
granddaughter of Hon. Archibald Bulloch. 
Councillors of the Order: 
Mrs. John Truitt Farrel (Delphine Harland Ash), descendant of 

Hon. Timothy Matlack. 
Miss Ellen Margaretta Farrel, descendant of Hon. Timothy Matlack 
Ceesar Rodney Gary, descended from a brother of Hon. Caesar 

Rodney. 
Miss Wilmuth Gary, descended from a brother of Hon. Caesar 

Rodney. 
Wilham Gaston Glen Bulloch, great-great-great-grandson of Hon. 

Archibald Bulloch. 
Douglas Eugene St. Cloud Bulloch, great-great-great-grandson of 

Hon. Archibald Bulloch. 
Mrs. Amos Worthington ( Ray McCalla Ash), descendant of Hon- 

Timothy Matlack. 

Honoraru Member — Lieut. Ora A. Martin, U. S, Navy. 



